Influence of Zinc Manganite Nano Fillers on the Optical and Dielectric Features of Poly-Methyl Methacrylate/Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Nanocomposites

Abstract

Poly (methyl methacrylate, PMMA)/ multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/ x wt %zinc manganite (ZnMn2O4) polymers were fabricated using co-precipitation and casting techniques.
The structure of the filler and all polymers was determined with X-ray diffraction. The morphology of the polymer surfaces was explored by employing scanning electron microscopy. The direct and indirect band gap energies (Eg) of PMMA polymer (5.02, 4.44) eV decreased attaining minimum values (4.97, 3.41) eV upon the addition of MWCNTs and 2 wt.% ZnMn2O4. The refractive index at 600 nm was increased from 1.33 (PMMA) to 1.55 (x=2 wt% ZnMn2O4). The optical dielectric constant and optical conductivity displayed their highest values when the ZnMn2O4 doping level reached 2 wt.%. The PMMA/MWCNTs/x wt.% ZnMn2O4 polymers exhibited blue-violet colors on the CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram under excitation wavelength of 317 nm. The electrical dielectric constant and the AC conductivity attained their peak at the concentration of 2 wt.% and 1 wt.% ZnMn2O4, respectively. PMMA/MWCNTs/x wt.% ZnMn2O4 polymers possess controllable optical and electrical characteristics, thus making them potentially valuable optical materials for future optoelectronic or photocatalytic application development.